Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has begun repairing potholes and damaged road surfaces on routes used for the arrival and immersion of Ganesh idols ahead of the festival, prioritising roads expected to carry large idols, processions and heavy pedestrian movement.
The civic body is currently using mastic geopolymer and cold mix to fill potholes because continued monsoon conditions make regular bitumen resurfacing difficult. Permanent asphalt work will be taken up after a break in the rains, the municipal corporation said.
The road-repair drive follows an inspection conducted last week by Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde, who directed officials to complete urgent repairs in preparation for Ganeshotsav. Under the guidance of City Engineer Shirish Aradwad, the engineering department has formed ward-level teams to inspect roads and undertake repairs based on the defects identified.
The inspection, described by the civic body as road patrolling, covers more than potholes. Engineers are also checking damaged road surfaces, uneven sections, stormwater drainage conditions and covers over underground utility services. Potholes identified during the inspections are being geotagged before repair, according to the report.
The municipal corporation has given special attention to roads used for transporting large Ganesh idols and to immersion procession routes. These roads are expected to see substantial crowds during the festival, increasing the risk posed by potholes, uneven surfaces and raised or damaged utility covers. The civic body said it was working to remove such obstacles from sensitive locations before the celebrations.
The preparations also include road cleaning, lighting at necessary locations and arrangements at immersion sites. The municipal administration has asked residents to ensure that unnecessary obstructions are not created on roads during the festival period, when movement of idols and processions will require additional space.
Mayor Sujata Patil and Commissioner Shinde have also appealed to residents to celebrate the festival in an environmentally friendly and plastic-free manner. The civic administration said road, procession-route and immersion-site arrangements would be implemented with traffic movement and public safety in mind.
For now, the pothole repairs are being treated as temporary monsoon measures. The municipal corporation has said that permanent asphalt resurfacing will begin at the affected locations once rainfall provides a sufficient break.
